Jams, Cheese, and Pickles
The “preservation project” has become a family endeavor. My sisters have gotten involved in canning. I am so excited. My lil sis, Amanda, is a kick a** pastry chef who creates a learning environment while we cook together. Like when I stuck her fancy candy thermometer straight in the marmalade, cover and all and she showed me how to use it properly.
Amanda recently joined me to the Maker Faire to listen to some presentations on cheese making and fermentation. This corresponds nicely with my recent acquisition of buttermilk cultures and rennets from the New England Cheese Making Company. While I have been making yogurt for the last year, I tried my hand at buttermilk last weekend. We use it alot for cooking breads, cakes and pancakes. It seems to have come out nicely and was insanely easy to make. Next on my list is mozzarella and chevre. After the aged cheese presentation, I am a bit intimidated to try any hard cheeses. I don’t own my own special caves to age my cheese in…though I started eyeing the tunnel at Lake Merritt.
Yesterday’s scene in my kitchen with my sisters was precious. We dragged a comfy chair into the kitchen and my older sister, Antoinette, took care of the baby while Amanda and I sliced, boiled and stirred. Pots of preserves slowly reducing and sweeting provided a fertile environment for conversation.
The day’s canning included boysenberry jam, orange marmalade, and brandied cherries. I also made a batch of lemon curd on request. Amanda counted 18 jars of preserves from the days effort.
We next turned to trying our hands at sauerkraut and dill pickles. The presentation we saw suggested using plastic bags full of brine to weigh down the contents. I am as much into this process for the beauty as the product so this method is not working for me too well. I will be in search of glass weights that might work. in the mean time, we have ugly baggies. I think we may used jars a tad too small. We’ll see what develops.
I am in the process of developing a recipe section to the blog. I got as far as adding a heading in the sidebar but now I have to figure out how to add pages within it. Anyone know how to do this?
Your brandied cherries look magical!
Are you thinking of those glass pebbles (for mosaics etc.) to wait down your picklings? that would be pretty.
we’ve thought about learning to make kimchee and then are wondering how we would work it into our diet (we could make pupusas with the masa from the corner market, and then use the kimchee in place of cortido).
18 jars of preserves! You and your family really know how to sock it away! Congratulations!
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:56 pmI just realized today that we have to have jam, marmalade, or frozen berries at every meal if I’m going to justify making any more this year. I may have to sell some or something — agh!
If I liked sauerkraut at all, I’d make it – and I’m afraid I’d wuss out at kimchee. But I have some kefir grains at my house, if you want to hang out and try to make that, I’m game. I’d like some of the creamy, fruity kind. And I have no clue.
But I do have a cheese mold and rennet. . .now that you have the know-how, maybe we can do a cheesemaking day with Denise?
June 8th, 2009 at 6:15 pmStefaneener- all those preserves will make great gifts come winter!
Just finished my first batch of kimchee made with ginger, sriracha, and the excess of radish greens that grew in my garden. I like to eat it when I don’t feel well, the spiciness settles me for some reason. A plain spoonful!
Glad you have found a good team to work with in the kitchen! Extra hands are always helpful
June 24th, 2010 at 8:58 pm